This invention relates generally to water softeners and, more particularly, to a modular water softener system installed on a hot-side of a water supply.
At least some known water softeners are configured to pass hard water through an ion exchange resin or mineral bed to remove hardness ions from the water. The ion exchange resin or mineral, to a limited extent, also removes dissolved iron through an ion exchange process. The ion exchange resin or mineral bed is recharged to restore its hardness and iron removal capability by passing brine through the resin or mineral bed and by backwashing.
In at least some known installations, however, an existing plumbing system might not allow for the installation of a water softener that treats both the cold and hot water supply without considerable modification that is often cost prohibitive. To offer most of the benefits of a whole-home water softener without significant plumbing modifications, a water softener can be used to soften only the hot water supply for the home. Such a water softener can be installed just prior to a water heater within the home. Unfortunately, these water softeners are relatively large (15,000 to 40,000 grain capacity) and are significantly over-sized when just treating a hot water supply for a typical home. Consequently, a home owner must incur an increased cost for installing and purchasing such a water softener, and must have sufficient room in close proximity to the water heater to allow for the installation.